NOR'

ing neon sign of The Onyx Lounge until the letters blurred.

radio came on with it, playing some sad, slow song about lost lov

eside me. Donavan's car. He glanced over, his face an unreadable silhouette in the dark, and then the light

s left m

red sat on the table, untouched. The white roses seemed to mock me from their vase, t

ide, his kind face etched with concern. "Shall

ng heavy. "No, thank you, Kowalski.

or to the master suite was closed, no light seeping from underneath. He h

upied for the last two years. I closed the door behind me an

ed out a small velvet box. Inside, nestled on faded satin, was a small, carved wooden wolf

etime

folded document. The p

ection Accept

f our colder, more vicious arguments. "If you're so

r had th

gn. The word Acceptor stared up at me. Tonight, for the

nd end this. End the hu

A group of young she-wolves, daughters of prominent Pack members, w

their faces. The pity. The scorn

voice as I walked past. "I heard the Alpha was with Ch

iss Stone is his true love. Not like some pe

y spine straight, and walked past them as if I hadn't heard a thing. I went into the kitc

navan came do

his hair still damp from a shower. He must

straightened up, their chatter ceasing. "

He didn't defend my honor. His silence was its own form of approval. It told t

the counter. We were less than an arm's length apart,

s suit, the powerful set of his shoulders

e quiet but clear in the sile

held a familiar, impatient mockery

ath hi

n. "If you find the position of Luna so unbearable, E

t, flickering ember of hope inside me was ext

e turned and strode out of the

ee cup slipped fro

shattering into a dozen pieces. Hot, black coffee spl

rk stain. The jagged white shards. It looked e